ATTENTION BOROUGH OF EMMAUS RESIDENTS IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER PERFLUOROOCTANE SULFONATE (pfos) / PERFLUOROOCTANOIC ACID (pFOA) MAXIMUM CONTAMINANT LEVEL (mcl) EXCEEDANCE ESTE INFORME CONTIENE INFORMACIÓN IMPORTANTE ACERCA DE SU AGUA POTABLE. HAGA QUE ALGUIEN LO TRADUZCA PARA USTED, O HABLE CON ALGUIEN QUE LO ENTIENDA. The Borough of Emmaus Has Levels of Perfluorooctane sulfonate (pfos) / Perfluorooctanoic acid (pFOA) Above Drinking Water Standards Our water system violated the drinking water standard. As our customers you have a right to know what happened and what is being done to correct this situation. We routinely test our drinking water for numerous contaminants. Results we received on March 13, 2026, show PFOS and PFOA levels above the maximum contaminant level (MCL). Compliance with the drinking water MCL is based on the running annual average of the four most recent quarters of test results. The current PFOS average is 103 ng/L and the current PFOA average is 18 ng/L, both of which are above MCL. The MCL for PFOS is 18 ng/L and the MCL for PFOA is 14 ng/L. What should I do? You do not need to use an alternative (e.g., bottled) water supply. However, if you have specific health concerns, consult your doctor. What does this mean? This is not an immediate risk. However, exposure to PFOS and PFOA over the MCL may result in adverse health effects. Drinking water containing PFOS/ PFOA in excess of the MCL of PFOS/ PFOA may cause adverse health effects, including developmental effects to fetuses during pregnancy or to breastfed infants (e.g. low birth weight, accelerated puberty, skeletal variations), cancer (e.g. testicular, kidney), liver effects (e.g. tissue damage), immune effects (e.g. antibody production and immunity), thyroid effects and other effects (e.g. cholesterol changes). What are PFOS and PFOA? PFOS and PFOA are chemicals that are part of a larger group referred to as perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These are man-made chemicals and do not occur naturally in the environment. They have been used to make items that are resistant to water, grease, or stains such as cookware, carpets, and packaging. They are also used in industrial processes and in firefighting foams. Since these substances are resistant to heat, water, and oil they persist in the environment and in the human body. Due to the prevalence of PFAS in consumer products, it is likely that most people have been exposed to these substances through other sources besides drinking water. What happened? What has been done? The aquifer that feeds Well # 1 and Well # 2 is directly adjacent to the Borough's Fire Training Facility. The facility has hosted firefighting training for fire departments across Lehigh County for approximately 5 decades. Over the years, firefighting foam was commonly used to extinguish fires during training and practice. It was not long ago that fire departments were informed PFOS was a harmful agent to water sources. Completion of the new water treatment facility is expected by early this summer. More information on the facility and the impact on our water system will be available after the facility has been completed. For more information, please call 610-965-9292 to speak with the Public Works Director or the Borough Manager. Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail. PWS ID#: 3390032 Apr 22-23